Prime Minister Narendra Modi said yoga has become a global gateway for people to explore India. Speaking on Friday at the golden jubilee of Bengaluru’s S-VYASA Yoga University, he noted that world leaders often discuss the practice during his visits. He also inaugurated new facilities at the historic campus site.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was speaking at the golden jubilee of Prashanti Kutiram, the residential campus of S-VYASA Yoga University in Bengaluru.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stated that yoga has evolved into a global "gateway" for people to discover India, remarking that there is barely any diplomatic talks during his overseas visits where world leaders do not discuss the ancient practice.
He was speaking at the golden jubilee of Prashanti Kutiram, the residential campus of S-VYASA Yoga University in Bengaluru. The event also marked the birth centenary of HV Seshadri, RSS leader and writer. Founded in 1975 to integrate modern science with Indian spiritual wisdom, Prashanti Kutiram's 50-year journey was hailed by the Prime Minister as a "remarkable and unprecedented saga of service and dedication." He also inaugurated several new facilities at the event.
Lauding the S-VYASA family and the "millions of seekers" associated with the institution, he recalled how a simple yoga centre had grown into a large movement.
During his speech, Modi acknowledged Karnataka's centuries-old legacy in the discipline, and noted that the late Kannada cinema icon Dr Rajkumar was a dedicated yoga practitioner.
Underscoring how India has confidently projected its knowledge systems over the past 12 years, Modi noted that International Yoga Day has sparked widespread global participation.
He said that Yoga is recognised as a sport in Saudi Arabia, following an agreement with India's AYUSH ministry.
Sharing personal anecdotes, PM Modi said, "Wherever I go in the world, whether at lunch or dinner, with foreign guests or heads of state sitting with me, there's hardly a lunch or dinner where yoga isn't discussed. First, I have to explain to them that I'm not a yoga expert; I'm a practitioner. Then I tell them that it has such and such benefits, and they ask a lot of questions. And I've seen many world leaders say, "My wife goes to India once a year, teaches yoga, and teaches yoga here. My daughter teaches yoga, and she has dedicated herself to yoga." In the families of many of the world's most prominent heads of state, there's someone connected to yoga. This means we can see how far India has reached through yoga. It seems that Yoga has become a gateway to exploring India.
He added that India has honoured dedicated foreign practitioners -- including members of the Royal Family of Qatar -- with the Padma Shri.
Turning to traditional medicine, the Prime Minister emphasized that the government is scaling Ayurveda alongside yoga.
"There are many things in our country that people do not pay attention to, not even the best people, not even those who like these subjects. After so many years of independence, a separate AYUSH Ministry has been created in the country for the first time. We have encouraged Ayurveda-related research and Ayurveda-based patents. And today the results of this are also in front of us. The export of AYUSH and herbal products from India is continuously increasing. The economy related to the AYUSH sector has reached lakhs of crores of rupees," he added.
Modi said that over 150 Ayurveda training courses now hold international recognition, backed by bilateral cooperation agreements with 28 countries.
Outlining domestic and global policy milestones in promoting Yoga and Ayurveda, Modi said the government has recognised Yoga as a competitive sport and also provided space in Khelo India at the National Games.
He said that besides encouraging research and patents in Ayurveda, the government introduced an e-AYUSH visa for foreigners seeking treatment in India and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Traditional Medicine Centre that has been established in Jamnagar.